Automatic telephone system



l Dec- 20, 1932. E. P. G. WRIGHT ET Al. 1,891,254

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM CA FIG. 5

, PAH Hun@ r S rr/ I i zr/ /P AVA7 INVENTOR ESMOND P. G. WRIGHT LESLIEB. HAIGH Dec. 20, 1932.

E. P. G. WRIGHT ET AL AUTMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheef 2 Filed001;. 30. 1950 FIG. 4

T H H mmm A mem E l VME mNU 0S ME sl- E BY l Dea 20, 1932- E. P. G.WRIGHT ET AL 1,891,254

' AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM,

Filed Oct. 30, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 X X X INVENTOR ESMOND P. G.WRIGHTBY LESLIE B. HAIGH ce. w

ATTORNEY De@ 20, 1 932- E. P. G. WRIGHT ET AL 1,891,254

AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE SYSTEM Filed Oct. 30. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4wmawfwmws Y INVEINTOR 3 B ESMOND P. G RIGHT LESLIE B. HAIGH PatentedDec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES essere A'rsr erica ESMOND PHILIP GOODWINWRIGHT, OF ALD'WYCl-, LONDON, ENGLAND', AND LESLIE BAINES HAGH, OF PARS,FRANCE, ASSGNGBS TG NTER-NATEONAL STANDARD ELECTRC CORPOBATON, 0F NEW'YORK, lt.

Y., A CORFRATQN 0F DELAWARE AUTOMATIC TE'LEEHONE SYSTEM Applicationfiled October 3G, 1930, Serial. No. 492.223.

This invention relates to automatic or semiautomatic telephone exchangesystems and is more particularly concerned with systems in which orderwires are used. Grder wires are normally used between operators atdifferent manual exchanges for the transmission of particulars of callsto be set up between the two exchanges.

Proposals, however, have also been made whereby order wires are providedbetween automatic and manual exchanges. In these arrangements, an orderwire to the wanted manual exchange is automatically7 taken into useduring the setting up of a call from an automatic subscriber, and it isto such arrangements that the present invention relates.

According to one feature of the invention automatic to manual orderwires comprise a single pair of conductors.

According to another feature of the invention, voice frequency currentsare automatically sent over an order wire taken into use between anautomatic and a manual exchange during the setting up to a call from theautomatic exchange to the manual exchange.

According to a further feature ofthe invention, the order wire isadapted to transmit a busy signal from the operator at the manualexchange to the automatic exchange in response to an action on the partof the operator.

According to yet another feature of the invention a. selecting stage inan automatic exchange is adapted to select one of a number of groups ofoutlets in accordance with the path of access only.

ln the embodiment of the invention to be described, the automaticexchange is of thev common control by-path type, that is an exchange inwhich each selected stage comprises a conversational switch of thefinder type and a lay-path switch over which the connection is primarilyextended and which controls the setting of the conversational switch.

Fig. l of the accompanying drawings shows the layout of the embodimentto be described. in setting up a call to a manual exchange an automaticsubsfrriber dials the wanted subscribers number. ln response to the codedigits an outgoing selecting stage is reached and in Great BritainNovember 13, 1929.

and the outgoing bypath switch R2 selects an idle outgoing repeater .RPassociated with which is an idle register RG. The remaining digits aredialled into the register and the outgoing conversational switch becomesconnected to the repeater. An order wire or order wires is or areadapted to be connected to the register by a plurality of link circuitsLC which are allotted for use in turn by link sequence distributorswitch LD. This switch determines that the calls to be set up over theparticular order wire or order wires are extended thereto in strictorder of arrival. T.llhen the register has been set a predetermined linkcircuit LC makes connection therewith and when the wanted order wirebecomes free connection is made between the order wire and the linkcircuit. A signal is now sent to the operator at the manual exchange whothro-ws her listening key. The register is associated with a common callannouncing mechanism, and in response to the operators action,theregister controls the announcement of the wanted subscribel"s numberover the order wire 'to the operators phones.

lf the operator linds that the wanted sub-r scriber is busy, she throwsa busy key associated with the order wire. In response to this operationbusy tone is sent to the calling subscriber from the register and theregister and order wire are automatically released. lf, howeif'er, thecall can be extended, the operator picks up a single ended cordindividual to an idle one of a group of junctions from the automaticexchange and plugs into the wanted line. This operation marks thejunction in the banks of a finder switch CF associated with therepeater. The register is arranged so that a predetermined intervalafter the announcement has been made, it will initiate the huntingmovement of CF; this interval is determined by the average tine anoperato-r will take to test and plug a wanted line.. l/Vhen the finderswitch GF makes connection with the junction, the register and orderwire are released.

The same set of repeaters and associated yistcrs can be reached from theoutgoing ecting stage in response to a plurality of fits, ln theparticular embodiment', two

paths of access are commoned, a relay JJ being operated if one of thesepaths is used. In this case the register and switch CF will have accessrespectively to a plurality of order Wires and groups of junctions todifferent exchanges or to different positions at the same exchange. Inaccordance with the path of access to the repeaters, an order Wire inthe desired direction is selected and the finder switch CF is made tohunt in the required group of junctions only. If the exchange to bereached is a tandem exchange it may be necessary to announce the name ofthe wanted exchange, in addition to the Wanted subscribers number. Theregister is arranged so that in accordance With the path of accessthereto an exchange designation or some other suitable announcement mayor may not be sent from the call announcer, or different designationsmay be sent. The path of access may in addition control the selection ofdifferent positions at the tandem exchange.

If split order Wire working is in use at a manual exchange and orderWires are incoming to the same position from manual and automaticexchanges, it is desirable, in order to retain uniformity ofannouncement thatthe name of the calling exchange should be announcedfrom the automatic exchange.

An announcementof the designation of the calling exchange can be made inthe present modification.

Other features of the invention Will be apparent from the particulardescription of this embodiment given belou7 and are set out in theappended statement of claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 2A and 2B illustrate arepeater circuit which includes a non-numerical .sv-:itch which permitsthe repeater to be used in conjunction with any one of a number ofjunction circuits.

The junctions terminating on this switch extend to two diiierentexchanges or alternatively to two ditl'erent operators positions at thesame exchange.

Figs. 3A and 3B sliouT a register circuit which is associated with anumber of the re` pcater circuits shown in Figs. QA and 2B. The registeris arranged to store four digits and is Wired in multiple With otherregisters to a common announcing mechanism which announces variousdesignations independently of the operation of any particular registercircuit.

Fig. 4 shows an order Wire link circuit which serves the purpose ofconnecting the register to the required order Wire. A link sequencedistributor also shown in Fig. et controls the sequence in which anyparticular order Wire makes connection with registers Waiting toannounce a call.

Fig. 5 shows an order Wire junction circuit modilied to receive callsfrom an automatic exchange.

Fig. 6 shows an order Wire junction circuit modiec to receive calls froman automatic exchange.

rllhe repeater and register circuits are testand seized simultaneouslyover the test Wire, cont-acts 7rd., 5111, ,trl of the repeater, contactsobo and ne home position and Wiper 'Win32 to battery. rllhe operation oithe testing relay in the preceding switching' stage causes the impulsingcircuit to be extended to the register to cause the operation of relayle.. lt should be understood that the testing Circuit, which has beendescribed, is used for any or the plurality ot junctions which mayreached through the non-numerical stage associated with the repeater.lFlic-n these junctions are leading to two dil'erent excnan ges, it isnecessary to maire some discriinination in order that a junction in theproper group is selected. For this reason the register is arranged witha discriminating circuit operated by the path of access by means ofwhich certain relays are operated. lf, for example, the junctions leadto exchanges l and II it is assumed that the necessary discrimination isobtained .by the oflice code ts received by the preceding switchingstage and that Whereas the relay A Will be operated only When theexchange l is required, the relay .lJ will be operated in scries withthe relay A when exchange ll is required. The relay A closes the obviouscircuit for relay B at al relay B closes the preceding lay-path. Thecircuit for relay .l is then maintained throng'` contacts 6F23. 7012,hr3, c5712, the impulsing loop (Erl, hr2, to ground. 7h-en the relayfresponds to the dialling impulses a stepping circuit u'ill he closedfor the magnet RMS through contacts est, 62, Winding of relay C, al, toground. Relay C is of the slow releasing type and remains operatedduring the train of impulses. The switch lllil Will adance its Wipersone step for each impulse received and when the relay C releases at theend of the train of impulses, a circuit will he. closed from thebatterj.v` and non-inductive resistance onnectcd to the Wiper win32through the bank contacts in any ot the positions 2-9, Winding otrelayZ,contacts e2, c1, M, to the Wipers, 7112133, M23-it, M7135, Win36and through the relative bank contacts to cause the operation of thecombination of relays BL MB. MC, D which correspond to the digitsdialled. Relay Z is operated in series with the storage relays MA. Ml?etc., but is .slow to operate and consequently the storage relays willhave closed their locking windings, through cou acts sel and Zil toground before the contacts The circuit is also provided when e2 open.

the relay Z operates for the magnet ll through its iaterrupter springs.contacts the bank contacts and Wiper rin/37, to ground which causes theswitch to step forward to position l0. The second train of impulsescause a similar operation, the corresponding combination of the relaysCA. CD (not shown) being locked up to store the digit dialled and theswitch RMS advances to position 20.

Should it happen that the thousands, and hundreds digits stored in therelays Miel-MD and CA-CD are identical, a cil'- cuit will be extendedfrom battery, wipers 1m32, bank contact 20, contacts cd2, mai), m52,c62, ce2, m02, mdQ, cd2, cl, bei, wipers rm33, M7134, M7135, rm, whichwill cause the operation of any of the relays MA-MD which were at thattime unoperated. The third set of impulses operates a combination of therelays Dfi-DD (not shown) and causes the switch RMB to advance toposition 30 while the fourth set of impulses causes a similar operationto the relays UA-UD (not shown) and the switch RMB advances to position40.

Should it happen that the third and fourth digits were identical, acircuit would be closed through contacts w12, (M2, db2, M52, a02, 62,(Z682, M032, to causethe operation of any of the relays DA-DD whichwould otherwise remain unoperated.

In position 40 a. circuit is also closed for the relay E and batterythrough the winding of relay E, contacts el, 6252, sa?, Wiper M7238, m2,to ground. Relay E locks over contacts 3l and bl to ground. Contact l2closes a circuit for the magnet of the order wire link circuit LM frombattery, winding of the magnet, interrupter springs, contacts IZQ, wiperm2 of the link sequence distributor, contacts .h2 and e2 to ground.Contact e3 prepares a testing circuit for the relay TL which will beoperated when the'wipers of the order wire link circuit reach the bankterminals corresponding to the register in question. Thecircuit forrelay TL will then be completed from battery, non-inductive winding ofrelay H, contact hl, e3, bank contact and wiper Zm, inductive andnon-inductive Winding of the relay TL, wiper cZml of the link sequencedistributor, to ground. Relay TL is equipped to operate and opens at Z2the driving circuit of the magnet LM closing at the same time a circuitfor the magnet DM through its own interrupter springs. The switch DMwill take one step and open its own circuit at the wiper (lf/n2.Contacts ll close a locking circuit for the relay TL. Relay H has aninductive winding in multiple with the non-inductive winding andoperates from the ground at tZl after the relay TL has lm?) (or Zmfl)through contacts jjll. When the relay N operates as already described acircuit is prepared for the magnet CWM through contacts nl and pl toground so that when the order wire falls free the order wire switch UWMwill step forward until its wiper ofwm makes Contact with the terminalmarked by the contact h3 of the next waiting link which will be assumedto be that shown. In this position the relay P will operate opening thestepping circuit of the magnet CWM and closing the obvious circuit forrelay PP at contacts pl. RelayPP provides alocking ground for relay P atcontacts pp and prepares at 10102 a portion of the announcer circuit.Relay K operates in series with relay P and opens at k2 the operatingcircuit of relay N. Contacts icl open the non-inductive winding of therelay K to reduce the potential on the bank contact and wiper owm;contacts 7c3 transfer the operating circuit of the relay BB throughcontacts bbl and p2 over the order Wire, through the busy and listeningkey through the relay LN, to ground. Relay LN operates and lights acalling lamp CL. When the relay H operated a circuit was prepared forthe relay G, contacts jj, 101'8 (or M9) wiper cfmQ (or cya/m4). If theswitch CFM is standing on a set of terminals leading to exchange I andthe relay JJ has been operated to indicate that the call is going toexchange II, a circuit will be completed for the relay G over the Wiperscfml and -in a similar way if the switch CFM is standing on a set ofterminals leading to the exchange II and the relay JJ has not beenoperated because the call has to be extended to the exchange I, then acircuit will be completed for relay G over the wiper @fm2 It will beunderstood that ground is connected to the bank terminals associatedwith wiper cfmQ on those outlets leading to exchange II whereas groundis connected to the bank contacts associated with the contacts cfmt onthose outlets leading to junctions extending to exchange I.

The operation of relay Gr closes the stepping circuit of the magnet CFMthrough its interrupter springs, hr3, gl, ml, bl, to ground causing theswitch CFM to continue stepping as long as the relay G remains operated.Hence the switch will be driven round to the first junction to therequired exchange. Contact h5 closed a circuit for relay WV throughcontacts 824 and relay WV consequently closes a circuit for relay Ythrough contacts wl.

`When the operator throws her listening key she vopens the circuit ofrelays BB Yand LN: Relay BB prepares at Z162 a circuit for the relay SAover contacts 7a4, 8e2, hb2, to a starting cam which is connected toground and associated with the announcing mechanism. IVhen the camcompletes the circuit relay SA operates and locks over its secondwinding and contacts sal to a second cam.

Contact sai' closes a circuit from ground through the repeating coil inthe order wire, contacts 29372, wiper and bank Contact` owml, the wiperand bank contact Zml, contact 8d2, wiper and bank contact M138, contactm7, jj, to the announcing mechanism. In this position arrangements canbe made to send to the `B operator the name of the exchange to which thecall is to be transmitted it it is desired to tandem the call. If thecall is for a subscriber connected to the exchange served by the Boperator, it will be unnecessary to announce any terminating exchange.As already explained, the relay SA is held operated by a cam on theannouncing machine and this device prevents the relay SA operating toclip an announcement. The operation of relay SA also closes the circuitor the magnet RMS through contacts 30.7, bank contact and wiper YM1137,toground and when the relay SA releases at the end of the preliminaryannouncement, the switch RMB advances one step. Belay SA reoperates andthe order Wire is connected through contacts sa, ma, and the particularcombination of relays MB, MC and MD indicating the thousands number tothe announcing mechanism. At the end of the irst announcement, relay SAreleases advancing the switch RM?) to posit-ion 42 in which position thehundreds digit is announced. In position 43 no announcement is made inorder to provide a pause between the hundreds and tens digits. Inpositions 4:4 and 45 the tens and units digits are announcedrespectively.

Should it happen that all the four relays MA-MD or DA-DD are operated,the order wire will be connected through contacts co6 oreal to aterminal of the announcing mechanism which will announce the worddouble. Consequently if, for example, the number 4477 is diailed, theannouncement will be double el, double 7 but if the number i774 isdialled, the number will be announced in the ordinary way.

The announcements are repeated over the order wire to the operatorstelephone circuit and on completion, the B operator will test therequired subscriberls line. It the line is busy, the B operator willthrow the busy key associated with the order wire thereby connectingbattery to the order wire Which will be extended over contacts p2, wiperand bank contact ofwm, wiper and bank contact ZmQ, contacts bbl, to thewinding ot relay BT and ground. The operation of relay BT will cause theoperation of relay BR in the repeater by the contacts cr, e5, btl. RelayBR introduces the relay AR over the subscribers loop and contacts 0T2,dri., h2 and 5713.' Relay AR provides a holding circuit for the relay BRat arl and busy tone is passed to the calling subscriber through thetone condenser, contacts m12, hr3 and the talking condenserto thesubscriber-s loop. The operation of relay BR also releases relay A asdescribed below to release the register.

It' the required subscribers linel is free, the B operator will insertthe calling plug thereby causing the operation of relay S from bat ery,supervisory lamp SL, winding of the relay S, sleeve oit the plug andjack, to ground. The supervisory lamp SL will light and a circuit isprepared for ringing the required party through the contacts si. At S2 aground is extended through contacts W2 and one side of the repeatingcoil to the positive leg. This ground potential terms a signal to theautomat-ic oiiice to indicate which cord circuit has been selected bythe B operator.

Meanwhile the switch RMB has l een caused to advance to position 50 dueto the intermittent operation of relay SA; this time interval has beeninserted so that switch CFM should not begin to hunt before the BOperator has seized a junction. In position 50 a circuit is closed forrelay SZ over the bank contact and wiper rin-38, contacts 8c2, toground. Relay SZ opens at S22 the operating circuit of the relay SA toprevent that relay operating again. Contacts sel open the lockingcircuits of the various storage relays MA-MD etc. It will be rememberedthat relays NV and Y were operated when the relay H operated. Theoperating circuit of relay lV is opened by contact azi and this relayreleases thereby opening the circuit for relay Y which also releases.lVhen relay Y has restored a circuit is reclosed tor the relay IVthrough contacts h5, 8e4, y2, ml, l to ground. Relay IV is, however,slow to operate and during this period a circuit is prepared for therelay M through contacts g/l, g3, 3.25, cr, the positive wiper cfml, tothe vjunction line on which the switch CFM is standing. It this junctionis not the one selected by the operator, relay M cannot operate andafter the relay WV has operated, relay Y will operate opening thecircuit ot the relay M. Relay Y is also slow to operate and during theperiod of this operation a circuit is closed for magnet CFM throughcontacts hr4, 828, Iw3, g3, ml, bl, to ground. This circuit is opened atg3 at which time the magnet takes one step forward. Contacts y2 open thecircuit of relay IN which will release unless maintained by the contactsg2. Relay Cr has a possible circuit through conltacts 7a4, jy', 7:78 (or7629) and the wiper @fm2 (or eff/ni) to ground extended to the bankcontacts by the contacts (or tr) of some other repeater switch. Thisground potential will exist it the junction line on which the switch CFMis standing is engaged and the operation of the relay G besidesmaintaining the circuit of relay lll, as already explained, will closean operating circuit for the magnet CFM through its interrupter springs,contacts hr3, gl, mi, bl,

to ground. In this way the switch CFM will be caused to step immediatelyover any junction which is in use and to test each disengaged junctionby connecting the relay M to the positive leg of the junction. `When thejunction selected by the B operator is reached, relay M will be operatedand a locking circuit will be closed immediately through contacts m1,bl, to ground.

Relay M closes at its contacts m2 a circuit tor the relays HR and BRthrough contacts cr and through contacts tl, e5, cr. The relay BRintroduces the relay AR as already explained, whereas the relay HR opensthe busy tone circuit at hr3 and closes at lire a circuit from groundthrough relay ER, contacts M5, negative side of the junction, one sideot the repeating coil, winding ot relay L to battery. Relay ER providesa locking circuit for the relay HR at contacts er1, and prepares at W2,a circuit for the relay DR. Relay L in the B cord circuit shunts thesupervisory lamp SL through contacts Z1, trl, W1, the negative andnon-inductive windings of the relay R in multiple to battery. Relay Rwill operate introducing the ringing supply through the ringing relayTR, contacts r1., sl, subscribers loop contacts r2, to ground. lhlhilethe ringing is taking place the register will release due to the tactthat the operation of contacts hr3 open the circuit for the relay A.Relay A opens at al, a circuit `for relayB. Relay B vopens at bl afundamental ground circuit permitting the remaining relays to release.RMS steps to its home position through its interrupter springs,contact-s 5225, b3, sa?, bank contact 50 and the wiper RMS?, to ground.The opening of contacts Z266 causes the release of the relay KR but therepeater is maintained busy7 because the test circuit is held open bycontacts hr1, and bri. Contacts hr2 and /tr maintain a ground potentialon the bank contacts corresponding to the junction taken into use toprevent intrusion. Wlhen the called subscriber replies the relay TRtrips opening the short circuit around the relay RR and this relayoperates in series with the relays R and S. Contacts W1, short circuitthe relay R which now releases switching over at contacts rl and4 r2 thesubscribers loop from the ringing supply to the talking bridge andthereby causing the operation of the relay CS. Contacts W2 and eslconnect battery potential to the positive side of the junction therebycausing the operation of relay DR in the repeater through contacts hr3and W2. Relay DR reverses the battery supply to the calling subscriberover contacts (Zrl and (Zr) and the connection is now established.

After the B operator has inserted her plug it is essential that she doesnot receive a further call until the first connection has been completedbetween the outgoing re- The switch' peater and the junction and on thisaccount the order wire circuit is locked to the register by relay Pwhich remains operated in series with relay K so long as the relays Hand E remain operated. l/Vlien the relay AR in the repeater operates andreleases the register the order wire and order wire link circuits arealso released and the order wire makes connection with any otherregister which has a call awaiting announcement. Such a condition wouldbe signalled by the fact that a register had made connection with anorder wire link circuit thereby placing ground p0- tential on the wiperZm of the latter causing the operation of the relay N. It should beunderstood that all calls to be announced to a particular distantexchange will be stored in sequence in order wire link circuitsallocated to that particular junction group. Should the junction groupbe sutliciently large to justify the use of two order wires, both OVMswitches will search over the same group of order wire link circuits,the waiting calls being handled in rotation. The use of thediscrimination offered by the relay J J may be extended to the orderwire link circuit to enable these circuits to be common to two exchangeThe starting signal and testing condition is duplicated over the wipersim@ and Zm, Zmd and Zm.

During the time theswitch CF M is hunting for the junction chosen by theoperator a tone is connected through the bank contact and wiper Km2,bank contact and wiper 0107112, contacts p2, both sides of the orderwire to the operators telephone circuit in order that the operator mayknow the condition at the automatic exchange and if necessary change thecord circuit.

Should the operator Jfail to dial the necessary digits into the registeror delay the dialling beyond some predetermined period, an alarm will begiven in the following manner z-lVhen the relay BB operated, ay circuitwas extended from battery, one winding of the relay BT, the wiper andhome position rml, contacts 22153, and 6M to an A pulse circuit. BTprovides a locking circuit for itself through contacts M3 to ground atb1. Should the subscriber tail to dial, relay E will be operate trombattery, winding of relay E, contacts el, M2, to a Z pulse circuit, itbeing arranged that the Z pulse follows the A pulse after some fixedperiod ot time. The operation of relays E and BT close a circuit for therelay BR as is previously described. Relay BR introduces relay AR andapplies busy tone. Relay BR also releases the register. A similarcircuit ior the relay BT is established in positions l0, 2O and 30 incase delay may occur before the hundreds, tens or units digits. Inposition 50 the A pulse circuit is connected through contacts S26, a2,the Winding of relay a, bank contact 50 and wiper rm32 to battery. RelayZ locks at z2 and prepares a circuit over contacts .e3 for the Z pulsecircuit to the relay BT. It the relay BT operates in position 50, BR inthe repeater will be operated as already described, relay E having beenoperated in position l() and locked up. The circuit for the switch CF Mis arranged so that it will hunt continuously, stepping over all engagedjunctions or junctions leading to a second exchange without testing andthe use of the time pulse circuits in position 50 serves to release theregister and the B operator, if the switch CFM fails to find the Yjunction selected within some predetermined period. It will also be seenthat the B operator can apply the busy tone by operating the busy key atany time, such an operation causing BT to operate BR and release theregister.

Vhen the callingr subscriber releases relay AR falls back and opens thecircuit for the relay BR. Contacts brel remove the holding ground fromthe hold wire permitting the preceding switches to release. The relaysER and DR remain operated to the B cord circuit. When the calledsubscriber releases, relay CS falls back disconnecting the battery fromthe positive side ot' the junction and thereby opening the circuit ofrelay DR. Relay DR opens at contact Z713 the circuit for relays ER andL. Relay ER opens at er1 a circuit for relay HR and relay L opens atcontacts ll a circuit for relay RR and reintroduces the ysupervisorylamp SL. Relay RR connects ground to the positive wire, through contactsW2 and s2 thereby providing a holding circuit for relay HR until theoperator pulls out the plug permitting relay S to release.

If it is desired to use a split order wire position, one relay LN willbe provided 'for each ofhce terminating in the split position. Eachrelay LN will be provided with its own calling signal and key. It ispossible, therefore, for a split position to operate certain junctionsfrom manual exchanges and others from automatic exchanges. Wherenecessary it will be arranged that the switch RM3 will announce thecalling exchange name in order wire when connection with the manualexchange has been made.

2. A telephone exchange system comprising an automatic exchange and amanual exchange, junctions and an order wire extending between the twoexchanges, register means controlled during the setting up of a callfrom a subscriber at the automatic exchange to the manual exchange toautomatically select an order wire and means controlled by said registermeans for automatically sending voice frequency currents over said orderwire to announce the wanted number to an operator at the manualexchange.

3. In a telephone exchange system, an automatic exchange and a manualexchange, junctions and an order wire extending between the twoexchanges, register means controlled during the setting up of a callfrom a subscriber at the automatic exchange to the manual exchange forautomatically selecting an order wire, means controlled by said registermeans for automatically sending voice frequency over said order wire,and means associated with the order wire to transmit back a busy signalfrom the manual exchange to the automatic exchange.

l. In a telephone exchange system, an automatic exchange and a manualexchange, a group of trunks between said exchanges, an order wirebetween said exchanges, a plurality of digit registers associated withthe trunks outgoing from the automatic exchange to the manual exchangeto store the numerical portion of the wanted subscribers designation,means for connecting a register to an order wire, and a call announcingmechanism associated with the said plurality of registers to announcethe wanted subscribers designation over the order wire under the controloi the register to which the order wire is connected.

5. A telephone exchange system comprising an automatic and manualexchange, a group of repeaters at the automatic exchange having accessto junctions extending to one or more manual exchanges, order wiresextending to said manual exchanges, registering mechanism adapted torecord a wanted number associated with said repeaters, means controlledby said register mechanism to transmit an indication thereof over anorder wire extending to a manual exchange, and means provided foroperatively associating said registering mechanism with a predeterminedone of said repeaters to the exclusion of the remainder.

6. In a telephone exchange system, an automatic selecting stage,different paths of access to said stage, a plurality of groups ofoutlets selectable at said stage, means for controlling the selection ofsaid outlets depending upon the path of access to said stage.

7. A telephone exchange system, comprising step-by-step switches, aselecting stage, a

plurality'o'f groups of outlets selectable at said stage, means tortransmitting impulses to said switches, and means for controlling theselection or" said outlets independent of said impulses.

8. ln a telephone exchange system, an automatic exchange and a pluralityof groups of junctions leading to manual exchange, an outgoing numericalstage at the automatic exchange, a. group ot trunks, the outgoingnumerical stage of the automatic exchange is adapted to be seized Via aplurality ot paths ot' access from said stage equal in number to saidjunction groups, and means controlled at said numerical stage to selecta trunk which is in turn connected to a junction in particular one ofthe groups of junctions in accorciance with the path ot access to saidtrunk.

9. A telephone exchange system comprising an automatic exchange and aplurality of groups ot junctions leading to manual exchanges, anumerical selecting stage at the automatic exchange, trunk circuits,means controlled at the numerical selecting stage at the automaticexchange to select said trunk circuits and associating them in commonwith plurality ot groups of junctions.

10. ln a telephone exchange system comprising a group of trunk circuitsassociated with a group of digit registers, a selector stage and aplurality of paths having access thereto, means whereby any one of saidcircuits can be reached over a plurality of paths of access from aselector stage, and means to extend it to any one of a number of groups"f ot different paths of access from said selecting stage, a group ofregisters associated with said trunks, a plurality of groups ofjunctions outgoing from the automatic exchange to a. number of manualexchanges equal in number to the said paths of access, a plurality oforder wires from said automatic exchange to said manual exchanges, meanswhereby a register taken into use in setting up a connection isautomatically connected to an order wire outgoing in a predetermineddirection in accordance with the path of access to the register, andmeans whereby the outgoing trunk which is also used in the connection isautomatically connected to the outgoing end or a particular junctionwhich has been taken into use at its incoming end at the manual exchangereached over the order wire.

12. A telephone exchange system comprising an automatic exchange and aplurality of groups of junctions extending' to two or more manualexchanges, single motion switches at said automatic exchange, and meanscontrolled by said switches which are adapted to extend connection to ajunction of a wanted group by the exercise of a hunting operation only.

13. A telephone exchange system comprising an automatic exchanffe and aplurality of groups of junctions extending to two or more numericallydifferent positions at the same exchange, single motion switches at saidautomat-ic exchange, and means controlled by said switches which areadapted to extend connection to a junction of a wanted group by theexercise of a hunting operation only.

14. In a telephone exchange system, the combination of an automatic anda manual exchange, an outgoing selecting stage at the automaticexchange, a trunk circuit and an associated register. means at saidselecting stage to select said trunk circuit, an order wire, means forconnecting said register with said order wire to the manual exchange, acall announcing device common to a plurality of registers, and means forconnecting said device to said register for announcing the wanted numberover said order wire.

15. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 3 characterized in thisthat in response to said signal busy tone is connected to the callingsubscriber.

16. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 3, characterized in thisthat in response to said signal, the order wire is automaticallyreleased.

17. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 3, characterized in thisthat in response to said signal, the register is automatically released.

18. A circuit arrangement as claimed in claim 4c, characterized in thisthat calls incoming to the group of registers are connected to the orderwire to the wanted exchange in their order of arrival.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 18th day ofSeptember 1930.

ESMND PHILIP GOODWIN WRIGHT. LESLIE BAINES HAIGH.

